Sheet inserter for identifying the contents of shipping containers



Sept. 11, 1951 R. s. BYE 2,567,181

SHEET INSERTER FOR IDENTIFYING THE CONTENTS OF SHIPPING CONTAINERS FiledFeb. 12, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Afiorneys Sept. 11, 1951 2,567,181

R. S. BYE

SHEET INSERTER FOR IDENTIFYING THE CONTENTS OF SHIPPING CONTAINERS FiledFeb. 12, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 11, 1951 SHEET INSERTERFOR IDENTIFYING TIIE CONTENTS OF SHIPPING CONTAINERS Raymond 8. Bye, St.Paul, Minn assignor to Minmsota Mining & Manufacturing Company, St.Paul, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application February 12, 1945,Serial No. 577,530

6 Claims.

necessary to address the required number of containers and to identfyand indicate the quantity of the goods tobe shipped on each order. Theidentifying sheet, usually called a packing list, also identifies thepacker or employee who fills the particular order. These lists mustaccompany the several shipments so that the lists are available forinspection when the goods are received at their destination. Heretoforethe envelopes containing the packing lists have either been attached tothe exterior of the containers or have been placed inside with themerchandise and an unnecessary amount of time and effort has beenexpended in securely fastening the envelopes to the containers or in therepeated opening and sealing operations. Prior methods are otherwise notentirely satisfactory because of the diflmulty attendant upon gainingaccess to the packing lists for inspection. By the present invention Iobviate much of the expense and other disadvantages of prior methods ofidentiilcation.

My preferred method of procedure comprises the steps of placing apacking list or other identifying sheet within an envelope having aprojecting tongue, then placing the envelope between members of aninserting device, cutting a narrow slot in the container wall, using theinserting device to carry the envelope-through the slot to a positionwithin the container, then ejecting the envelope from the insertingdevice while the latter iswithdrawn from'the slot, leaving the tongue ofthe envelope projecting through the slot tothe exterior of the containerand finally fastening the tongue or a portion of it to an exteriorsurface of the container where it is accessible and readily operable towithdraw the envelope when required.

The principal objects of my invention. are to facilitate theidentification of the contents of shipping containers by providingreadily operable means for inserting packing lists or other identifyingsheets in previously sealed shipping containers without requiring thebreaking of-the seals and to provide an envelop adapted to containa-packing list or other identifying sheet. the envelope being providedwith a tongue adapted to project through a slot in the wall of thecontainer and to be attached to the exterior of the container where itis accessible for withdrawing the envelope and list or other recordcontained therein.

A particular object is to provide a pair of blade members adapted to cuta narrow, inconspicuous slot in a wall of a container and to carry theidentifying sheet and/or envelope containing such a sheet to a positionwithin the container in combination with means operable to deposit theenvelope and/ or enclosed sheet within the container when the blademembers are withdrawn.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred form of my insertingdevice in open or envelope receiving position;

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section through the inserting devicewith the blade members in closed, operative position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 3-4 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a fragmentary portion of a shippingcontainer with the inserting device in one of its operative positionswith respect to the container;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of my preferred form of envelope for a packinglist;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the inserting device and containerin their relative positions .as the device is about to be withdrawn fromthe container with the envelope and tongue shown in broken lines;

Fig. '7 isa perspective view showing a fragmentary portion of acontainer with a packing list in place therein and with the tongue in afastened or shipping position, and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, cross sectional view, taken approximately onthe line 88 of Fig. '7,

-' showing the packing-list, envelope and adjacent wall of the shippingcontainer in relation to the enclosed merchandise. In the drawings,Figs. 5 and 8, an identifyin sheet or packing list 9 is shown in foldedposition within a pocket ill of an envelope having a long, relativelynarrow tongue ll projecting from one end. An opening i2 allows access tothe interior of the pocket ill for the insertion and withdrawal of -thesheet 9 and the tongue ii is preferably 55 formed with parallel sideedges terminating in shoulders I2 adjacent to the pocket II. Theseshoulders are provided for engagement with ejector members of theinserting apparatus. as here-' inafter described. Extending over a smallselected area of the tongue II is an adhesive coating for fastening thetongue to an exterior surface of a shipping container.

My device for inserting the sheet 2 and its envelope has a long.relatively narrow blade member indicated generally by the numeral I, anda second blade member II of generally similar shape adapted to overliethe member II and to extend in substantially parallel relation thereto,

as indicated in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 8. These blade members are connectedtogether by a hinge II at one end and their opposite ends are providedwith cutting edges I2 and Ila respectively. A handle I2 is rigidlyconnected to the blade member II at its end remote from the cutting edgeI2.

Slidably mounted on the blade member I5 is an ejector comprising asubstantially triangular plate 2|! hingedly connected to a similar plate2|, and a pair of lugs 22 fixed on the plate and projecting to engagethe plate 2| and to hold these plates in spaced parallel relation toeach other when in their closed or operative position. The lugs 22 arespaced apart to bear against the shoulders ll of the envelope during theejecting operation and the tongue II of the envelope is adapted to passfreely through an opening extending between the hinges 23 which connectthe plates 2|! and 2| together. The longitudinal side edges of theenvelope pocket I II fit loosely between flanges 24 extending along theside edges of the blade member I5. Extending along the longitudinalcenter line of the blade I5 is an elongated slot 25 in which a flange 26of the ejecting mechanism is guided. This flange is rigidly fastened toa slide member 21 overlying the interior surface of the blade member I5and rigidly fastened to the plate 20.

A0 permit manual operation of the ejector, I provide a thumb piece 28which projects at right angles to both the blade member I5 and slot 25therein and is rigidly secured to the front or distal edge of the flange26. The blade member I8 is sufliciently flexible so that its end havingthe cutting edge Isa may be sprung into contact with the edge I2 of theblade member 45 when the device is to be thrust through the wall orbeneath a sealed flap of a shipping container. I prevent the blademembers from gripping either the envelope pocket III or the tongue II byproviding the flanges 24 and the plates 20 and 2| which are sufficientlyrigid to prevent the blade member is from being pressed in on theenvelope and also by holding the relatively rigid plates 2|) and 2| inspaced parallel relation to each other by means of the lugs 22 andhinges 23. When at the outer end of their stroke, indicated in Fig. 6,the plates 22 and 2| and lugs 22 hold the cutting edges I2 and |8a apartto allow for the free passage of the envelope including its tongue II.

In Figs. 4, 6, 7 and 8 fragmentary portions of a rectangular shippingcontainer are indicated generally by the numeral 29, this containerbeing of the common type-constructed from corrugated fiberboard andhaving closure flaps 3|! and 3| which are held in closed position byadhesive and/or by adhesive coated strips of paper, cloth or othersuitable material.

In the following description of the operation of my device it is assumedthat the container 29 has been filled with merchandise 32 (Fig. 8) andthat the flaps 20 and ii have been secured in 4 closed position. Theoperator places the appropriatepackinglistorothersheetlintheenveiopepocket II and then places the envelope inserting device. as indicated inFig. 1. Thus the a tongue |I projects between and beyond the hingemembers 22 so that the lugs 22 are in engagement with the shoulders I2of the envelope and the ejector slide members are in the fully retractedposition shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Now :the plate 2| is closed against theupper ends of the lugs 22 and the blade member It is closed as indicatedin Figs. 2 and 3. While grasping the handle II and holding the blademembers Il and It in contact with each other-along their cutting edgesII, Ila, the operator forces the cutting edges of the blade members intothe container 22. The exact place of insertion may be varied to suit thetype of container and character of the contents, but in most cases itwill be found convenient and easy to force the blade members eitherbetween an outer and inner layer of material, for example between theclosure flaps 22 and II, or through one wall of the container inparallel relation and adjacent to the adjoining wall so that the blademembers pass between the contents of the container and wall or betweenthe contents and inner surface of the inner flaps 3|. Where thecontainer is constructed from relatively tough, hard material it mayfacilitate the insertion if a sharp knife is used to form a short slitinto which the edges I2 and Ila may be started. In either case the blademembers IS and I6 are thrust into the container to the depth determinedby the thumb piece 22 which constitutes a stop when in its fullyretracted position. This carries the envelope and contents to theirfinal concealed position within the container.

To actuate the ejector and deposit the envelope within the container thethumb piece 22 is held in contact with the exterior surface of thecontainer while the blade members I5 and I6 are withdrawn. During thiswithdrawal the lugs 22 not only engage the shoulders I3 of the envelopeto prevent it from being withdrawn with the blade members but also holdthe plates 20 and 2| in spaced relation to each other thus preventingthe gripping of the tongue II or pocket I0 under the pressure exerted bythe container material on the blade members.

It will now be understood that when the blade members have beenwithdrawn to the position shown in Fig. 6, the plates 20 and 2| and lugs22 hold the cutting ends of the blade members apart to entirely free theenvelope and tongue during the final and subsequent removal of thedevice from the container. Thus after removal of the inserting device,the tongue II is left projecting through the narrow slot 33 (Figs. 6 and7) previously formed by the blade members. Finally the tongue Il may besecured to an exterior surface of the container by the use of theadhesive coating is. If it is necessary or desirable to close the slot22 a strip of suitable adhesive coated material may be applied as aclosure and seal.

To facilitate finding the packing list and to call attention to the factthat the tongue may be used to withdraw the envelope containing thelist, I mark theexposed surface of the tongue with a suitable legend.When the containers arrive at their destination, the recipient merelyloosens the tongue II and then uses it as a pull to retrieve the packinglist or other contents of the envelope pocket III.

It is not always necessary to provide an envelope for the identificationsheet and, as an alternative, a tongue projecting from the sheet itselfto the exterior of the container may be provided. It will thus beevident that the present device is adapted for use in inserting recordor identification sheets of paper or other material in concealed andprotected positions within containers which have previously been closedand sealed. Experience in the use of my invention has demonstrated thatit effects substantial savings in the cost of properly identifyingshipments, insures the safe arrival of the identification sheets orother accompanying records and makes such sheets and records readilyaccessible for examination.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protectby Letters Patent is:

1. In a sheet inserter of the character described, a flat elongate bladeupon whose upper surface a tongued sheet may rest, lateral retainingmeans along the side edges of the blade to limit lateral movement of thesheet, upper retaining means above the upper surface of the blade tolimit upward movement of the sheet,

two stop members one on either side of the tongue to limit rearwardmovement of the sheet, an ejector mounted for reciprocal movementlongitudinally of the blade along the upper surface thereof, the saidejector comprising an ejector plate that rests on the upper surface ofthe blade, the said stop members bein sitioned on the upper surface ofthe said plate, and a thumb piece connected to the plate having aforward surface that is positioned to bear against the outer wall of acontainer into which the blade has been thrust in a sheet-insertingoperation.

2. The sheet inserter of claim 1 in which the upper retaining meanscomprises a second flat elongate blade overlying the first blade and theejector plate, and hingedly connected with the first blade.

3. The sheet inserter of claim 1 in which the upper retaining meanscomprises a second ejector plate overlying the first ejector plate andhingedly connected therewith.

4, The sheet inserter of claim 1 in which the upper retaining meanscomprises asecond fiat elongate blade overlying the first blade andhingedly connected therewith, and a second ejector plate overlying thefirst ejector plate and hingedly connected therewith, the two hingedejector plates being positioned between the two hinged blades.

5. In a sheet inserter of the character described, a flat elongate bladeupon whose upper surface a tongued sheet may rest with the tongueextending rearwardly, laterally retaining means along the side edges ofthe blade to limit lateral movement of the sheet, upper retaining meansabove the upper surface of the blade to limit upward movement of thesheet, two stop members positioned to limit rearward movement of thesheet, and an ejector mounted for reciprocal movement longitudinally ofthe blade along the upper surface thereof, the said stop members beingpositioned on the said ejector and being spaced apart to accommodate thetongue between them.

6. In a sheet inserter for cutting a slit in a shipping carton andinserting a tongued sheet in the carton with the tongue left outside ofthe carton in a position to be grasped for removal, a fiat elongateblade upon whose upper surface the tongued sheet may rest with thetongue extending rearwardly, the blade having a cutting edge at itsforward end for cutting the said slit, lateral retaining means along theside edges of the blade to limit lateral movement of the sheet, upperretaining means above the upper surface of the blade to limit upwardmovement of the sheet, and two stop members positioned to limit rearwardmovement of the sheet, the said stopmembers being spaced apart toaccommodate the tongue between them.

RAYMOND S. BYE.

REFERENCES crrnn The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 322,740 Mears et a1 July 21, 18851,218,314 Read Mar. 6, 1017 1,370,533 Genge Mar. 8, 1921 1,577,828 KingMar. 23, 1926 1,611,268 Colby Dec. 21, 1928 2,054,514 Landes Sept. 15,1936 2,127,346 Sanderson Aug. 16, 1838 2,207,930 Miller July 16, 19402,307,884 Greenwood Jan. 12, 1943 2,359,677 Reeves Oct. 8, 19442,364,711 Hakanson Dec. 12, 1944 2,374,263 Askin Apr. 24, 1845 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 410,133 Germany lab. 28, 1825

